Tag: amediting

Why pay an editor when you can get a Luna to do it for you? This is my little Lunabelle helping me with some writing. “Helping” meaning clambering all over the keyboard chasing my hands because it’s much more important for me to be fussing her than writing. And with such big green eyes who can resist? But this is the whole point – editing, I find, requires a solid strength of will to resist distractions and procrastination. So sorry Luna, but you have to wait!Update! I have been quite quiet of late – that’s for various things: new job, work on the other house, trying to finish my Goodreads Challenge for May (see blog post here) and a little bit of writing! I am now very pleased to say that as of 6th June 2017 I have finished my third draft of MFB. This means I’m now about to start editing.

How well is it going, you might ask? Well… I’ve done countless loads of washing, shredded a load of unwanted paper, tidied up my front room a bit, organised the back bedroom, cleaned my sink, disinfected everything in the house, scrubbed my wellies and my Dubarrys, washed the dog and cat bowls, and drunk umpteen cups of tea…

So this is my guide on How To Edit!

Get comfortable in your writing nook, with a cup of tea and the most motivating, content-appropriate playlist you can find on Spotify

Drink that first cup of tea and enjoy it so much you go make another

Struggle to find a suitable playlist and waste time scrolling through Spotify

Find that your writing nook attracts an unpleasant draft or has dodgy lighting, and search for another place

End up cross-legged on the sofa

Forget cup of tea, get up for it

Open first chapter of novel on computer

Create a document for editing purposes

Fancy a snack, end up making dinner

Leave pots strewn all over, but decide to start reading chapter one

Make a couple of notes on editing diary

Wash up, dry pots and put away, repeat for next lot

Realise that TV programme is on you wanted to watch – time for a break, no?

Try and fail to read and watch at the same time

Make another cup of tea

Find a pot left on the side that wasn’t washed up and lose mind

Finally get comfy on sofa with computer and cup of tea

Start to read, make a few valid notes

Get distracted on planning a detailed map of the town/world in your book

Lose temper at changing minor character’s surname

Yawn once, decide it’s bedtime

Turn computer off and go to bed

Have best idea ever in bed – decide to get up at 5am to start anew with refreshed vigour

Wake up at 8 and realise it’s a work day

Procrastination is a vixen I remember well from, I guess, every aspect of my little life. With essay deadlines looming, I could always find something to keep myself entertained. But when it’s something I love and very much want to dedicate my time to, like my writing, I still find I can skive off. Sometimes it is legitimate – still need to eat, right? I’ve been writing this post for about a week now, too.

In all seriousness, I’m trying to follow this process for editing:

Split my screen into 2 documents, with the draft on the left and a document for notes on the right;

Read through the draft and any edit, thought or issue that comes to mind can be noted down;

Finish the read through, and start making the changes to a new version of the document.

I will also keep a running log of over-arcing problems or changes that will have effects throughout the narrative.

At the moment I’m here, there and everywhere, often without my laptop (hence why this post has taken so long to write), so I can’t start in earnest until things are back to normal. Then I think I will try to dedicate a chunk of time each day to editing. It’s time to get serious again!

How do you edit? Do you get distracted too – if so, how do you keep on track? Let me know in the comments!